Travel: Chiang Mai is world’s second best city

Readers of US magazine Travel + Leisure have rated Chiang Mai as the second best city in the world.

In fact, it was a double treat for Thailand as two of its cities managed to make it to the 15 World’s Best Cities for 2016 list.

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While Northern city Chiang Mai ranked second with a score of 91.25, Bangkok came at 14, scoring 88.96.

US city Charleston in South Carolina robbed the top slot from Japan’s Kyoto, which had been reigning the charts past two years.

Bangkok Post quoted the magazine: “Chiang Mai might not be Thailand’s largest city, but it’s first in our readers’ hearts — probably because it’s much more manageable. It has a busy downtown with restaurants and must-see markets, but quiet resorts are a quick drive away. The cities of Southeast Asia are on the rise. Urban centres in the region, such as Bangkok; Siem Reap, Cambodia; and Luang Probing, Laos—hailed for their affordable and delectable dining, historic sites, warm locals and exciting culture—made up more than half of our list of Best Cities in Asia list their year. There’s never been a better time to go to Asia.”

Thailand’s popularity as a tourist destination owes a great deal to its benign climate. Thailand predominantly has a tropical wet and dry climate while the south and the eastern tip of the east have a tropical monsoon climate.